ipl-logo

Odysseus, The Wise Man In Homer's 'Odyssey'

1319 Words6 Pages

In any country, kingdom, or household there is usually the one that seems to overrule all in that specified area. Leaders are strong, courageous, and skilled in combat and wits. Leaders are either looked at as an ally or an enemy. They are confident, bold, and respected. In the poem, The Odyssey, Homer gives us insight of how a tough, cunning, and wise man is brought through twenty years of suffering to reach is home that he weeps for so much. Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, is a man that is looked at as a celebrity by humans because of his skillful fighting, and by the gods because of his intelligence and wits. The king went through numerous tasks and obstacles to get back to his homeland. One task in particular proves his power and the love he has for his loyal and wise wife, Penelope. Looking at lines four hundred fifty-one through four hundred seventy-one, the moment Odysseus, while disguised by the God Athena, proves to the suitors and workers that he is the rightful husband, king, and lord by stringing his own bow and shooting it through twelve axes; the task was quick and perfect for Odysseus. In chapter twenty-one of The Odyssey, Homer brings up a task thought of by the goddess Athena and brought to Penelope for the suitors to try and win her hand in marriage: the suitors had to string the king’s bow and shoot it through twelve of his prized axes. To Odysseus, his bow was a sign of friendship between an old friend, Iphitus, son of Eurytus, who gave him the bow and inn

Show More
Related

  • Odysseus: The Great Hero In Homer's Odyssey

    921 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Great Hero AG Most people believe Odysseus was not an admirable because he was arrogant, selfish and dishonest. Odysseus was an admirable character because he is loyal, clever and brave. One way Odysseus was admirable was because he was loyal. Odysseus shows his loyalty towards his men when they encounter the Lotus Eaters.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Lying In The Odyssey

    642 Words  | 3 Pages

    After intruding in an archery competition and hitting the target straight on, Odysseus begins to brag about his skill. After he had hit the target he turns and says, “‘ Telemakhos, the stranger you welcomed in your hall has not disgraced you. I did not miss, neither did I take all day stringing the bow. My hand and eye are sound, not so contemptible as the young say.’” ( Fitzgerald 405)

    Read More

  • Odysseus: A Complex Leader In The Odyssey

    212 Words  | 1 Pages

    Homer created a complex leader to show that the weakness in someone doesn’t define them, it’s the way they approach the situation that will define you as a person. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is a complex leader because he’s supposed to lead his group home to Ithaca, but he makes some pretty selfish and rash decisions that are not what you’d expect from a leader. By doing so, this shows Odysseus’ character flaws, but it also shows his strengths. When Odysseus stayed on Circe’s island for an unnecessary amount of time, this showed his weakness, not being able to resist the urge to sleep with women. In contrast, it also showed his strength because he gained his ground after losing track of home, and found the strength to gather his men and leave.

    Read More

  • Homer's Odyssey-Fabric, Interconnected Threads In The Odyssey

    1905 Words  | 8 Pages

    A resident of the household recounts to Odysseus, “by day she’d weave at her great and growing web— / by night, by the light of the torches set beside her, / she would unravel all she’d done. Three whole years she deceived us blind” (Homer 24.153-156). Penelope’s tapestry keeps Odysseus in a liminal temporal zone between life and death. Her unraveling and reweaving speaks not only to Odysseus’s neverending quest stuck between the Trojan War and returning to his homeland

    Read More

  • Women's Roles In The Odyssey Essay

    448 Words  | 2 Pages

    How everyone wanted to marry Penelope. And she thinking that Odysseus was long gone proposed something, a contest, and the winner would be her lover. The contest had two parts, first the suitors had to bend the heavy bow and string it, which requires immense strength and skill, and then they had to shoot an arrow straight through the holes in twelve axe heads set up in a row. This was a really difficult challenge and she knew only Odysseus was going to be able to complete it, and if he did she would not marry anyone but love Odysseus for the rest of her

    Read More

  • Odysseus In Homer's The Odyssey

    744 Words  | 3 Pages

    The Odyssey Essay What is the first thing that comes to mind when hear the word Hero someone brave, nice, kind, honest, smart, and someone who puts their life on the line for others. Well in the Odyssey Odysseus is not all of these things only a few, Odysseus is a cruel, greedy, and murderous man who only cares for himself. In the Odyssey By Homer a king named Odysseus went to war with Troy which started this whole adventure he made a plan to defeat the Trojans by making the Trojan horse and sneaking himself along with his men inside Troy to wait till nightfall and sneak out of the horse to take over Troy while everyone is asleep. He tried to sail his way home but got lost and it took him 20 years to get back because of various misadventures like get caught by a cyclops, getting stuck on an island of lotus-eaters, going by the sirens, going through Scylla and Charybdis, Eating the sun gods cattle, getting stuck on an island with a time distorting goddess along with other misadventures which

    Read More

  • Odysseus: An Exemplary Leader In The Odyssey

    769 Words  | 4 Pages

    Webster Dictionary defines leadership as simply, “providing direction or guidance,” but to be a successful leader one must focus on completing a goal in a way that is beneficial for the majority, not only the one in charge. This can be achieved by utilitarianism, which is doing of what is best for the most number of people, and carrying out actions that lead to positive effects, instead of merely being done with good intentions. In The Odyssey, Odysseus is not an exemplary leader because he went against utilitarianism by not being honest with his men, letting his arrogance control his behavior, and by killing many people in his house without a fair trial. Firstly, a leader must be truthful with those he works with in order for no errors or confusion to occur as a result of information being hidden. In The Odyssey, not being truthful lead to negative consequences for everyone on Odysseus’ ship, and thus contradicted the principle of utilitarianism stating that actions must lead to positive effects.

    Read More

  • Physical Strength In The Odyssey

    1281 Words  | 6 Pages

    Telemachus said, “Quick, dear one, close the women up in their own quarters, till I can stow my father’s weapons in the storeroom” (Homer, 391). This plan stacks the odds in Odysseus’ favor, preparing him for a victory. Odysseus showed physical strength when using the bow and arrows. Odysseus comes back home to Ithaca, but Odysseus was disguised as a beggar, He accepts Penelope 's challenge to shot an arrow through the gaps of twelve axes lined up in a row. This was not the real test of strength; it’s the fact that Odysseus was the first person to be able to string the bow; “Now he held the bow in his own hands, turning it over, tip to tip, testing it, this way that way… fearing worm had bored through the weapon’s horn with the master gone abroad.”

    Read More

  • Odysseus: The True Hero In Homer's The Odyssey

    997 Words  | 4 Pages

    A hero is someone who is revered for his or her exceptional achievements and bravery. Anyone who puts themselves before others not for recognition or an award, but because it is the right thing to do, is a true hero. In "The Odyssey," written by Homer is an epic poem about a man named Odysseus and his crewmates competing against the power of the gods to return to their homeland, Ithaca. Throughout his journey, he loses almost all of his men, but Odysseus finally arrives home, concluding his prolonged twenty-year voyage. Odysseus must battle the suitors that have taken his wife Penelope, and may soon kill his son Telemachus.

    Read More

  • Penelope In The Odyssey Analysis

    1041 Words  | 5 Pages

    In an epic poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, Odysseus struggles to come back home while his wife, Penelope, faces barbarous suitors who plague her house to court her for the marriage in order to claim the kingship of Ithaca. With an absence of the man of the household and a son who is not old enough to rule over the country and handle the domestic complications, Penelope endeavors to keep the household orderly and civilized. In order to prevent further chaos in the household, Penelope maintains her role as the Queen of Ithaca and Odysseus’s wife through her loyalty and cunning. For a woman who does not know when her man will return home, Penelope is extremely strong to keep hope and wait for her husband; thus, her unwavering loyalty to her husband

    Read More

  • Odysseus: A Good Leader In Homer's The Odyssey

    571 Words  | 3 Pages

    In Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus repeatedly shows that he is polytropos, for as Zeus says “There is no mortal half so wise”(3). Using his wits, Odysseus gets him and his men out of several sticky situations in the Odyssey, proving his leadership through his actions that save the lives of his crew member. On the other hand Odysseus’ streak of constantly outsmarting challenges, goes to his head, and unfortunately causes Odysseus to develop a hubris. His pride at times makes him arrogant, believing that he always knows best, which leads to the untimely demise of his crew. While Odysseus proves to be good leader by saving his crew from trouble with his wits, he is ultimately a bad leader because he refuses to listen to advice.

    Read More

  • Identity In Odysseus Of Homer's Odyssey

    463 Words  | 2 Pages

    Although Odysseus is still hiding his identity, Penelope’s confidence grows because she knows that this will force Odysseus to finally come out of disguise and compete in the contest to finally prove that he is indeed the one true Odysseus, king of Ithaca. During the contest while the suitors struggle, Odysseus still disguised as the beggar pleads to Antinous to give him a shot at stringing the bow. They are enraged by the fact that a mere beggar will even think of competing but most importantly they are frightened he will prevail. Penelope uses this moment to finally get Odysseus to reveal his true identity. Odysseus proves his identity by stringing the bow and successfully shooting it through all twelve

    Read More

  • Penelope's Role In The Odyssey Essay

    477 Words  | 2 Pages

    She makes the decision to set up the bow contest, in which the winning suitor will marry her (19.663). This scene provides us with an example of Penelope making a critical ethical decision. Even our hero, Odysseus could not have fully achieved his return home without his wife disobeying his commands, due to her loyalty and love for him (19.147). Penelope’s moral choice also shows that she has the ability to hold her own under pressure. When Odysseus leaves, she becomes the head of the household.

    Read More

  • Comparing Penelope And Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

    853 Words  | 4 Pages

    Throughout the epic, Odysseus and his lover showed their cunning ways. Penelope is trying to void the suitors from marrying her until her husband returns. Penelope holds off the suitors by creating devious and intelligent test for them to pass. “Here is my lord Odysseus hunting bow… Nobody bends that bow stave easily in this company…

    Read More

  • Odysseus In Homer's Odyssey

    304 Words  | 2 Pages

    The story of Odyssey is one of wonderful movie I’ve ever watched. Because the story is all about god’s and goddesses and about an adventure of Odysseus that not that just an adventure Odysseus made me admire him not only his good looking but also he’s brave, smart, tough and loving husband to his wife even though there’s a fans of women he encountered, Penelope will not be just ordinary girl for him. One thing I admire about him is how he handles the situation. I’m quite disappointed about him because he just knew how smart and good as a warrior he is acts arrogantly to the god of the sea, Poseidon. But then I still admire him even he done wrong doings, of course there’s no perfect creatures in this world.

    Read More

More about Odysseus, The Wise Man In Homer's 'Odyssey'

Open Document